A Different Kind of Christmas in Davao

The Christmas Season holds a special place in the hearts of the Filipinos; the Philippines being a predominantly Christian country. They Philippines is considered to have longest Christmas celebration that lasts for more than 30 days! Here, Christmas is celebrated with the different sounds of fire-crackers, never-ending parties, drinking seasons with friends and attending an early-dawn mass know as the “simbang gabi.”

Such is true for the rest of the places in the Philippines, except in Davao City.

For three long years already, we have celebrated Christmas without the booms-and-bangs of fire-crackers to disturbe us. Some say we had the most peaceful Christmas and New Year Celebrations in whole of the Philippines.

Thanks to the no-nonsense leadership of City Mayor Duterte. Thanks also to the ever supportive people of Davao who cooperated to this kind of celebration. I can sense that people are doing it not because they fear the Dirty-Harry-like image of the city mayor, but because they have enough good reasons to think it is good and best for everyone. There will be no cleaning-the-street-of-fire-cracker to do the next morning. No bullies-turned-cry-babies going to the hospital for medication. No air polution. Only the sounds of radios, videokes, and turotots.

Others who can’t stand the silence, go and visit other places to celebrate with the usual noice. They go to Cebu, to Digos, to Tagum, to Gensan, or to Manila. The more affluent ones take their vacations to Hong-Kong, Singapore, Australia or any other places abroad with their families.